Quentin Tarantino says he 'knew enough' to act on Weinstein: 'I wish I had taken responsibility for what I heard'

Quentin Tarantino is speaking out after years of privately downplaying rumors of Harvey Weinstein's offensive and at times illicit behavior.

Tarantino has worked almost exclusively with Weinstein throughout his career -- Weinstein distributed all of his most successful films including "Pulp Fiction," the "Kill Bill" films and "Inglorious Basterds -- and the two enjoyed a close friendship, as well. Just a few weeks ago, Weinstein threw Tarantino an engagement party.

But despite their longtime professional and personal relationship, Tarantino is now readily admitting that he knew about Weinstein's history of sexual harassment, and he regrets staying silent instead of rocking the boat.

"I knew enough to do more than I did," Tarantino told the New York Times, describing multiple incidents involving famous actresses. "There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn't secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things."

Tarantino even dated one of Weinstein's victims, actress Mira Sorvino, who went public in the New Yorker with her harrowing account of being sexually harassed by Weinstein in a hotel room. She told Tarantino about the alleged incident not long after it transpired.

“What I did was marginalize the incidents," Tarantino told the Times. "I chalked it up to a ’50s-’60s era image of a boss chasing a secretary around the desk. As if that’s O.K. That’s the egg on my face right now.”

Acknowledging that "anything I say now will sound like a crappy excuse," Tarantino said he now wishes "I had taken responsibility for what I heard."

Tarantino referenced at least one other Weinstein incident that involved a famous actress, who confirmed the story to the Times but did not want to be identified.

When news first broke of allegations against Weinstein, actress Amber Tamblyn released a statement on Twitter on his behalf: "I need a few more days to process my pain, emotions, anger and memory and then I will speak publicly about it."

Tamblyn then took to task Twitter followers who were skeptical of his impending response. "You think I’m f--king around?" she wrote. "You think I didn’t have a come to Jesus conversation with Quentin and what he needs to do? Have y’all met me?"